Japanese Catmint-Blue Panther-20 Seeds

Japanese Catmint-Blue Panther-20 Seeds

$4.00

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This delightful Japanese Catmint has many merits. Both the foliage and the flowers are fragrant. It blooms the first year from seed, unlike most perennials. It is upright and nicely branched, rather than sprawling. Make it a centerpiece of your containers and sunny-to-partly-shaded garden areas!

Panther Dark Blue walked off with the Bronze Medal at Holland’s prestigious Plantarium competition in 2015. The attractive little plant is much more compact than other catmint species, standing just 20 cm high and 25 cm wide. The foliage is bright green, glossy, and toothed, releasing a strong, heavenly fragrance from spring through fall. Profuse bloomer! Medium to dark blue, these tubular flowers reach up to 5 cm long, held in nice clusters on the top of the plant. The blossoms are fragrant, and they begin in early summer and go right through into early fall.  You’ll be amazed by the flower power of this petite plant.

 

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Description

  • Plantarium competition 2015 Bronze Medal

  • Perennial

  • Flowers first year

  • Compact dome shape

  • Grows in containers or beds

  • 20 cm stems

  • Attracts bees and other pollinators

  • Easy to grow

Panther Dark Blue is a magnet for butterflies and bees. Cats love it, though not to the extent that they adore the groundcover species such as N. cataria.

Content in any well-drained soil receiving full sun to part shade, Panther Dark Blue is also a good choice for dry, shallow, and rocky soils. The roots are shallow, so you can establish this perennial in areas where some other plants will not thrive. Deer tend to leave it alone — the aroma is a deterrent to pests in the vegetable garden as well, by the way! It is a good choice for open and woodland settings.

Panther Dark Blue is versatile, a delight for all the senses, and easy to grow. The seed can be direct-sown in spring, or you can begin it indoors in a biodome, germinating at 15-20 C. Germination usually takes 7 to 21 days. When it’s time to transplant the seedlings, give them a good hardening off, bringing them outdoors in a shaded, wind-free area for just a few hours at first, gradually increasing to overnight exposure before setting them outside permanently. After they are established they’ll do well in the garden or patio containers for years! Grows well in the Calgary area, mulch in winter is suggested. Zones 4+

Growing Information: In February-March sow on the surface of moist, good quality seed compost and cover lightly with compost or vermiculite. Keep in a propagator at 19-23C. Germination up to 14 days. When large enough to handle, transplant to small pots and grow on. Harden off and plant out after the last frost. Alternatively, direct sow where they are to flower in April/May and thin to final spacings of 30cm.

Fall Sowing: Sow seeds in fall patting with hand and covering with 2-3 mm soil.

Companion Planting
Attracts pollinators, but repels aphids, flea beetles, Japanese beetles, ants, weevils, and squash bugs.

Starting Catmint

Details

Growing

To grow from seed sown early indoors and transplanted outside after frost, or sown directly in the garden, or sown using the winter sowing method, or grown from potted plants.

  • Stratify seeds (Learn how-to here)
  • Sow indoors using a seed starting kit or sow in flats.
  • Just cover the seeds lightly with seed starting mix
  • Keep the soil moist at 18-23 C
  • Seedlings emerge in 10-20 days
  • As soon as seedlings emerge, provide plenty of light on a sunny windowsill or grow seedlings 10-15 cm beneath fluorescent plant lights turned on 16 hours per day, off for 8 hours at night. Raise the lights as the plants grow taller. Incandescent bulbs will not work for this process because they will get too hot. Most plants require a dark period to grow, do not leave lights on for 24 hours.
  • Seedlings do not need much fertilizer, feed when they are 3-4 weeks old using a starter solution (half strength of a complete indoor houseplant food) according to manufacturer’s directions.
  • Before planting in the garden, seedling plants need to be “hardened off.” Accustom young plants to outdoor conditions by moving them to a sheltered place outside for a week. Be sure to protect them from wind and hot sun at first. If frost threatens at night, cover or bring containers indoors, then take them out again in the morning.  This hardening off process toughens the plant’s cell structure and reduces transplant shock and scalding.
  • Seeds will germinate best if the seed is stratified (Learn how-to here)
  • Choose a location in full sun or part shade with moist, organic soil. Sow in spring to early summer.
  • Work organic matter into the top 15-20 cm of soil; then level and smooth.
  • Sow evenly and thinly cover with 5 mm of fine soil.
  • Firm the soil lightly and keep it evenly moist.
  • Seedlings will emerge in 10-20 days
  • Thin to 20-25 cm apart.

If a plant is hardy in your zone, you can plant its seed any time in winter, regardless of the temperature outside. Sprouting will occur when warmth arrives, normally in spring. However, the seed can also sprout during some freak warm spell between weeks of frigid conditions. This is not a problem for perennials and hardy annuals. They simply know how to face the changing temperatures.

  • There is no need to stratify seeds when winter sowing
  • Chose your container and planting medium
  • Plant seeds anytime November-March 5 mm deep
  • Learn more about Winter Sowing here.

Before you sow seeds stratify them first.

Work your ground to ensure it is a nice loose soil and ready for planting.

Sow seeds 3 mm deep, mixing with sand helps to keep the seeds separated.

Ensure your soil is kept moist during the germination period.

Thin seedlings to 25-35 cm apart.

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